Select channels to promote a marketing event

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Identify an optimal mix of marketing channels to promote a marketing event to your audiences.


Look at your goals for the event and pick characteristics for a target audience who will help you to achieve those goals.

For example, if your event is a press conference to launch a new product, your target audience might be industry influencers, reporters, and loyal customers.

Calculate your ideal audience size based on your venue capacity and the goal of your event.

Ask if it helps your marketing goals to have a packed house. You might prefer a smaller number of attendees to create an atmosphere of exclusivity.

Use your target audience characteristics to put together an invite list for people who are particularly valuable for the event.

For example, if your goals include good press, which friendly reporters, bloggers, and influencers should receive an invitation? If you want a small-scale event, keep your invite list short.

Calculate how many additional attendees you need to reach through event marketing.

  1. Subtract the total number of guests on your invite list from your target audience size. The difference is the number of people your marketing efforts will need to attract to reach your target audience size number.
  2. Multiply the difference by two. Your target turnout number should be twice the difference to maximize your chances of meeting your audience size goals.

For example, say you want an audience of 100 people and are directly inviting 25. You’ll need 75 people to get to your audience size goal. But to maximize your chances of getting to that number, your marketing efforts should aim to attract at least 150.

Identify secondary marketing goals to ensure you get the most out of this event.

For example, you may want to create online buzz about the new product you are launching at the event in addition to event attendance.

Time your communications to ensure that your target attendees have time to get employer approval and budget to attend, register, and block their calendars accordingly.

If the event requires registration that ends before the day of the event, your marketing window lasts from the moment you establish the date of your event to the registration deadline.

Make a list of potential marketing channels that your target audience spends time on.

Use a combination of your internal demographic and behavioral data, insights from your sales, customer service, public relations teams, and publicly available consumer information to identify your target market’s preferred platforms. Make a note of channels that work well in tandem, such as desktop and mobile.

Estimate the frequency and reach of each channel and combinations of channels. Choose two or more marketing channels that will help you achieve your event and marketing goals.

Look at which options will attract attendees and help you achieve your secondary marketing objectives.

Evaluate the costs of your marketing mix by comparing it to your marketing budget.

Remove any channels where the production timeframe is too long, that could compromise your brand, or are being used by another arm of your company.

For example, if your event takes place in two weeks, television advertising is not a good channel option. The time it would take to produce an ad and secure ad time probably falls outside your marketing window.

Secure all internal approvals that you need to finalize your event marketing plan. Plan follow-up communications to continue engaging your attendees.

Consider sending thank you emails, incentivizing attendees to fill out a post-event survey, or providing early registration to your next event.

Last edited by @hesh_fekry 2023-11-14T15:50:34Z

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